Dreams on the Ceiling
by chibi-angel3
Summary: [A/U] When fate beckons, how many means could there be to a single end? A different kind of Kenshin and Kaoru love story. Chap 1A UP!
1. Prologue

Standard Disclaimers Apply. Dreams on the Ceiling 

When fate beckons, how many means could there be to a single end?

**Important Author's Notes:**

I'm using a modernist writing style and the story is well… different from the others out there. Proceed with an open mind. Hope you put your trust on me again on this fic. More explanation at the bottom of the chapter. ^_^

Prologue 

The idea of giving up everything she had believed in was so tempting she could already taste it.

It was bitter.

~

Ever since Kaoru was a child, she had this habit of locking herself inside her room as she pulled her favorite pink floral curtains together and turned off the lampshades beside her bed. Then, she would sit down on her queen-sized bed, fluffing her two pink butterfly pillows before she pulled down her floral comforter. 

She wanted nothing but silence and peacefulness. She needed it for daily sustenance.

She would then lay her back against the soft and comfortable cushion, snuggling her skin against the silky sheet, loving every second of that heavenly feeling. Slowly, she would open her eyes and stare at her ceiling.

There was nothing special about it, actually. I was just white. 

Plain. 

Simple. 

Pure. 

The perfect canvas to start her painting.

In this complete serenity she had set up, she would dream.

It was almost always the same. She was in the park, sitting on her favorite spot— the swing. The swing had three wooden seats supported by faded metal chains on both sides. It had been there for 50 years— giving comfort to two generations of the city she lived in, Tokyo. 

The swing was wise, I must say. It had been there long enough… to witness the innocent children's laughter, the heartbroken's tears, the mother's pride and so much more. It just stood there, watching all forces of nature pass by.

I guess somehow, it reached her. She loved the swing because it gave her a calming effect. Maybe she felt that it understood her like it did the others that sat there before her.

Her dream would usually start with her sitting on the swing, playing by herself. She laughed in amusement at the feeling of freedom the swing was giving her… despite that fact that she would never lift her feet from the grass. 

Correction: She loved the swing as long as her feet anchored her. Without that support, she was sure that she would fall. When that happened, she would no longer love the swing.

*Notice the word when… she assumed or perhaps, knew deep inside her that one day, her swings would raise high enough that her feet would no longer be there.*

But then, you see, it was all part of her dream. As she was swinging herself backward and forward with her feet planted securely on the grass, this nameless man would arrive and stand behind her. Without further ado, he would place his hands on the metal chains, following her lead. He would just stand there almost passively.

A few unvoiced words would be exchanged as he would slowly take control of the swing. Little by little, he would push the swing a little higher.

Little by little, her feet would lose its hold.

Then, as more unvoiced words had been exchanged, he would suddenly take confidence and push the swing as high as he can, using all his strength, wanting to take the girl to new heights.

What she predicted came true. She did fell out from the swing.

She no longer loved the swing. She loved the man who caught her when she fell.

Few years had passed and the painting of her white ceiling remained. It mirrored her ideals, hopes and dreams. 

Nevertheless, as Kaoru reached high school, she knew better. She wouldn't let all her dreams to be boxed up— just like a classic movies of romance, which were played over and over again in run-down theaters. No, she was going to take action. She had dreamed of her meeting with her soul mate since she was a girl and everything must go according to her plan.

It must!

~

[At  present]

As Kaoru arrived home from work, she hanged her coat on the coat hanger on the back of the door. With labored steps, she climbed the stairs to her room. She opened the door, flipping on the light switch on the side. 

As the bright light illuminated her room, you would be surprised at what you were about to see. Gone were the floral curtains, lampshades, pink butterfly pillows, pink comforter and silk sheets. There was no trace of pink anywhere. No trace of any other color, for that matter.

In fact, there wasn't a trace of anything anywhere. Everything seemed gone and emptiness took its place, filling the void. The only remnants were the white walls, the bed, which was now covered by a simple cotton cloth, and of course, the white ceiling. There wasn't even a slight evidence that a dreamer once occupied the room.

At that point, the bedroom became nothing more than a place to sleep.

Ah, the contrast of a jaded heart from a flower garden.

All these came to be because she loved to dream too much. To daydream a perfect situation wherein the she could manipulate every scene. It was where she painted all her hopes and dreams. But… 

…she never realized that they were all false. 

An illusion. 

A set-up. 

Something forced.

Even the tedious ritual she followed through before doing the actual daydreaming session was a set-up. Without the serenity that she needed, there wouldn't be anything for her to stare at but her white ceiling. 

Her white ceiling which now symbolized emptiness, loneliness, and misery.

**Author's Notes:**

Like I said before, I am playing with a modernist writing style. This is a first person omniscient POV KenKao fic. I placed it in my POV because I wouldn't be able to relay what's on their subconscious if it was written on theirs. No… it won't be all narration. This is just the prologue of everything. Kenshin would appear on the next chapter meaning there would be more KenKao interaction… dialogue, thoughts, actions, the works.

Hmmm… I seem to be having this habit of always starting the fics with Kaoru. Anyway, I couldn't do it any other way. 

Moreover, I caution you to proceed with an open mind. This fic is sort-of angsty/eccentric/[actually I can't find the exact adjective]  because I would be playing with concepts regarding dreams, hopes, reality and fate. With regards to something as powerful as love… which among the four controls it? I am going to reach deep inside to know what is really real and at the same time cross the boundery of fantasy. You'll know what I mean in the next couple of chapters. 

Anyhoo, these concepts had been bothering me for the past few days causing some depression attacks in any case, I am writing this for therapy. Just creative outlet. 

What else? Hmmm… I guess, this is a crazy fic that I just **need** to write before I move back to my other fics.

**So now, the question is… what had happened between Kaoru's highschool years to the present that allowed her to feel that way. How would her past experiences affect her meeting/relationship with Kenshin. How are her decisions affected and why? **

This are the questions we sometimes fail to answer in life and in reading. Sometimes thoughts aren't enough. Experiences are much stronger in molding us whether we are aware of this or not.

**Read on and find out! Leave me a review for faster chapters! ^_^**


	2. Chapter 1A: Take One

Standard Disclaimers Apply.

_It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting. _

-Palo Coelho

Chapter 1A: Take One 

Morning came.

Kaoru shifted on her bed as she felt the unforgiving rays of the sun scald her skin. She glanced at her clock.

9:00 am.

"Damn!" she cursed out loud. She woke up too early! Wednesday was her only rest day and she only had four hours of sleep yet. Oh well, she couldn't do anything about it anyway… 

or so she thought.

Closing her eyes, she laid on her stomach to resume her much needed sleep. Sleep meant so much more to her now than it did before. Sleep meant escapism. A way to block out the harsh realities of life. Her only rest. 

I think it was the fact that she didn't dream anymore that she was able to acquire rest because if she did dream, well, everything would turn out ugly. Since she couldn't control REM dreams… that would prove much more disturbing than the nightmare she was living in where she had at least little control.

With a heavy heart, she stood up and headed towards the bathroom. Normally, she would be so pissed off because she didn't get enough sleep. But eventually, she got used to it.

She had to if she wanted to get through a decent morning, that is.

For your information: Actually, what she failed on realizing was that if she hadn't discarded her floral curtains and satin sheets, she would have been protected by the sun's rays, hence, a good night's rest. It was such a simple solution to her morning problems yet she somehow missed it. 

After taking a shower. She wrapped one towel on her hair and another one around her body. She stepped out and walked towards her empty bed to put down one of the towels. She then took a couple of steps forward, stopping only a yard before the mirror.

She stood naked before her eyes, scrutinizing every detail of her body. She blinked back the tears that suddenly welled up in her eyes, mentally consoling herself.

Not like anybody else would notice.

Actually, she would but…

She stopped her trail of thoughts before she damaged herself further. She knew she was the source of her anxieties but you see, the real culprit there was that she noticed something that wasn't even there.

Sighing to herself, she walked to the corner of the room where her closet was located. After donning a short black dress attire, she tied her hair in a neat ponytail before heading downstairs. She sat by her favorite couch, turning on the radio. 

"Earlier this morning an unidentified woman, robbed, badly beaten, raped and killed was found laying inside her car at Kuroshi Avenue. Police claimed that robbery wasn't the motive of the heinous crime but they refused on giving a formal statement since

investigations were still going—"

Kaoru let out an audible sigh, turning off the radio. She didn't want another reason to depress her that day. 

It wasn't as if she could do something about it.

Wanting to soother her nerves, she took a deep breath, stretching out her arms, rotating her suddenly tensed neck muscles.

Just then, she saw a puppy peering inside her house through the window, chewing on something… well, interesting.  The dog seemed to grin at her mischievously as he barked an invitation.

Kaoru stared at the dog, a sparkle emerging from the depths of her dull eyes. As a child, she loved dogs. She always played with Sanosuke's dog, Notarou. There even came a time when she'd rather open up her problems with Notarou than with best friend, Sanosuke.

It wasn't that she didn't trust Sano, it was just that dogs were easier to confide in. They wouldn't judge you or make you feel bad about yourself. They were just there to listen, admire and keep you company.

Unlike some people she knew.

When Sanosuke moved out to the city to pursue his career in boxing, he took Notarou with him. It gave Kaoru both feelings of relief and loneliness.  

1.         Relief because there would be no one left to remind her of the painful past. 

2.         Loneliness because no one was left. Period.

The next thing Kaoru knew, she opened her front door, keeping her eyes on the dog. Slowly, she offered him her hand, approaching him slowly. "Hey there, cute doggie."

Then, he ran, barking at her, beckoning her to follow.

So she did.

A ghost of a smile almost formed on her lips when suddenly, the dog sat down beside his master. At that point, Kaoru couldn't hide her disappointment.

"Hi! I hope Seabright didn't bother you," the stranger stood, looking at her  apologetically.

"Hnn.." she replied, giving him a cold look. She was always like this when she was with strangers. One can never be too cautious, she constantly reminded herself. However, as she eyed him from head to foot, noting his unbelievable striking red hair and amethyst eyes, she eased up.

A guy you can spot a mile away wouldn't try anything stupid on her.

"He just loves socks!" he grinned, despite her passiveness. He reached down his dog, petting him lovingly before taking the sock out of his mouth. "I don't know what it is about socks that he loves. He doesn't even care whose it is as long as it is socks."

The red-haired man continued babbling as Seabright sat beside Kaoru, stroking his forehead against her calves. Unable to fight the urge, Kaoru squatted, petting him on the head.

Seabright just gave a satisfied purr.

"I'm so sorry about the socks. Can I just pay for it or would you like me to replace it?"

Kaoru glanced at him for a while before returning her loving attention to the dog. She couldn't help but fall in love with his innocence and untainted loyalty.

She hadn't had any of those since… well… she couldn't remember. 

"No need," was her simple reply.

"I insist," Seabright's master, kneeled down to level with her. "Seabright is always a nuisance— "

She snapped defensively, "He seems like a great dog."

"He is actually!" he smiled at her enthusiasm with his dog. Pausing for a moment, he offered in a sot voice, "How I can make it up to you?"

"Like I said, it isn't necessary."

Being the perfect gentleman that he was, he didn't take no for an answer. Trying a new tactic, he asked, "Can I just take you out for lunch or something?"

"The pair of socks isn't even mine. If you take a closer look, you would realize that it belongs to a child," she replied matter-of-factly.

"Oro?" he glanced at the pair of socks on his hand. "Oh yeah, right," he muttered as his face flushed a deep shade of red.

How could he not notice the bright orange color of the sock? Impossible! He couldn't have thought that she would be wearing anything like that. Did he think that she was like that? Eccentric? 

She sighed inwardly, 'Orange socks? Ugh!'

Little Ms. Vanity couldn't get over it but… upon seeing embarrassment and shame clearly written on his face, she chuckled.

He broke through her barrier. He actually made her chuckle without even trying! He had managed to achieve something monumental in his own little way and he didn't even know it.

Neither did she, for that matter. 

Even I am not really sure how it happened but I guess, it was mainly because of the dog. Seabright had a calming effect on her that she was able to taste Kenshin's goodness. 

It was sweet and like chocolate, it lightened her heart. 

Back to the story… she looked up at the stranger, motioning him to sit beside her as she placed the dog on her lap. "You really have a great dog! I had always loved Chow-chows!"

"I think he likes you!"

"I think he does," she grinned back. "How old is he?"

"Only six months."

"Really?" her eyes widened in childlike fascination. "He is so big already! Look at his paws…"

"I know. He is hard to maintain though because of his size. But… he is worth it!" he beamed"

"I can see why. She is so lovable!" 

Clearing his throat, Kenshin cast her a furtive glance as he asked, "So what do you think of that offer I made you a while ago?" 

Kaoru looked up at him, unbelieving. Did she hear him say what she thought he said? Surely there was a– "I don't think it's time for lunch yet. It's barely 11:00 am… ano…"

As I had predicted, she gave in. Hope wasn't completely washed out from her system. Only battered, I suppose.

"Kenshin. Himura Kenshin," he extended his hand, giving her an equally warm smile.

"I'm Kamiya Kaoru."

"Kamiya-san…"

"Just call me Kaoru, Himura-san," she chirped. "I'm not used to being called as formally as that." 

In truth, nobody really called her Kaoru. It was always Kamiya-san or Kaoru-san. Nobody got close enough… or shall I say, she had never wanted anyone to be close enough to her to address her as that after…

It just brought her too much painful memories that…

That…

I think I should leave it as that. Better not open up past wounds.

Well, maybe this time, she wanted to attach a different meaning to her name. One that would remind her of something special. Someone special.

"Then, just call me Kenshin."

"Kenshin…" she repeated, a sparkle forming in her sapphire eyes as she stared intensely at his.

The wind blew hard, kissing them both, making them feel his presence or…  would it be more appropriate if I said to make them return to the reality of their surroundings?

Seabright barked.

"So? How about it?" Kenshin coaxed. "I know a great place about 30 minutes from here. By the time we get there, it's already lunch." 

Kaoru just gave him a teasing skeptical look.

"Seabright is going to be there," he pressed even further.

Kaoru glanced at Kenshin then back to Seabright, mentally debating whether she should come or not. The relatively strong cautious part of her warned her and strongly urged her not to come. She would have given to that part of her in if she hadn't come there in the first place… if she hadn't given him her name or if she hadn't encouraged him to call her by her first name. 

She had already broken her barrier for him. If she backed out now, it would have been extremely silly and downright stupid— she would have just wasted her time.

She had already chosen him to heal her.

Plus… Seabright was there. She had her assurance.

Finally giving in, she sighed, "Ummm… alright."

But what kind of a sigh was it? 

Relief? 

Exasperation?

If you were her, why would you sigh?

As Kenshin offered his hand to her, helping her stand up from the grass, Kaoru slowly started to lose her footing on the ground.

Would she fall again as expected?

**Author's Notes:**

Thanks to Tan Kimiko for correcting my error on that Notarou thing. Thanks girl! I owe you one! ^__^

Things are still vague now but don't worry reasons for everything will unfold at the right time. But, I guess, I gave you enough hints already. This is only half of the first chapter. I wanted to post the whole chapter but it might take me until next week to finish it since I am so busy and I could only spare an hour or so every weekdays to write. The reason I did  this was so that you guys won't forget the details I had included in the previous chapter which is important in the whole story. Also, the next chapter would be focused on Kenshin. The why's and the how's. ^__^ Hope you like this! Send me your feed backs to inspire me!

Questions about Kaoru… Kaoru's character may seem a little too complex… complicated… jaded…  but actually, being her… putting myself in her shoes… I think she is quite easy to understand. She is a dreamer… she might not seem like it or act like it but deep inside… she couldn't let it go. It is as much part of her as her soul. More about this in the chapters to come.

If you have any questions… just email me or leave it in the review. ^__^

Go on… push that button!


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